Project on Middle East Democracy

Project on Middle East Democracy
The POMED Wire Archives


Category: POMED

POMED Notes: “Voicing Dissent: Inside the Fight for Democracy and Human Rights”

November 16th, 2010 by Evan

On Tuesday, the Foreign Policy Initiative hosted a panel discussion titled “Voicing Dissent: Inside the Fight for Democracy and Human Rights” as part of its “Restoring America’s Leadership of a Democratic World” conference. The Washington Post’s Jackson Diehl moderated a panel composed of Ambassador Michael Kozak, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, Win Min, a Burmese activist, and Michele Dunne Senior Associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and Editor of the Arab Reform Bulletin.

To read full notes, continue below or click here for a pdf copy.

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Posted in Democracy Promotion, Egypt, Event Notes, Human Rights | Comment »

POMED Notes: “Egypt’s Upcoming Elections: Boycotts, Campaigns, and Monitors”

October 20th, 2010 by Evan

On Tuesday, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in partnership with Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED) hosted a discussion on preparations by opposition parties and domestic electoral monitors for the upcoming Egyptian parliamentary elections. Mahmoud Ali Mohamed, the director of the Egyptian Center for Development and Democratic Studies and member of the Wafd Party Supreme Council, and Wael Nawara, the co-founder and secretary general of the al-Ghad Party, gave presentations, POMED executive director Andrew Albertson delivered a response and Michele Dunne, a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment, moderated the event.

(For POMED’s full notes, continue below or click here for the pdf.)

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Posted in Egypt, Elections, Event Notes, Events, Uncategorized | Comment »

POMED Notes: “The Conspicuously Absent Fourth ‘D’: Democracy”

August 3rd, 2010 by Farid

The Society for International Development - Washington Chapter held a panel discussion on Friday to consider democracy promotion under the current administration. Sarah Mendelson, Deputy Assistant Administrator for USAID, Lorne Craner, President of the International Republican Institute, and Kenneth Wollack, President of the National Democratic Institute, participated in the panel. Malcolm Butler, Senior Vice President in Emerging Markets at Management Systems International, and SID-Washington Board Member, introduced the panelists and moderated the event.

(POMED’s full notes continue below, or view them as a pdf).

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Posted in Democracy Promotion, Event Notes, US foreign policy | Comment »

POMED Notes: “Obama’s Multilateral Engagement- What Does It Mean for Democracy & Human Rights in the Middle East?”

July 1st, 2010 by Farid

Yesterday, POMED and FES held a panel discussion focusing on multilateral engagement in the quest for democracy and human rights in the Middle East. The discussion, moderated by Knut Panknin of FES, came at a timely and imperative moment as the G20 is in the midst of multilateral talks this week. The panel of experts included Neil Hicks, International Policy Advisor for Human Rights First; Heather Hurlburt, Executive Director of the National Security Network; Suzanne Nossel, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State at the Bureau of International Organization Affairs; and Radwan Ziadeh, Founding Director of the Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies and Executive Director of the Syrian Center for Political and Strategic Studies.

Continue to read the full POMED Notes on the event below or read the entire version as a pdf.

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Posted in Event Notes, POMED | Comment »

POMED Report Now Available in Arabic

May 19th, 2010 by Josh

One month ago, POMED released its annual report on the Obama administration’s FY 2011 federal budget request for democracy, governance, and human rights in the Middle East. Today, as part of our efforts to expand access to POMED’s publications, we held an event in Cairo to launch an Arabic version of the report.  

The full Arabic report is now available on our website to download as a pdf.


Posted in Publications, Reports | Comment »

POMED Notes: “FY2011 Appropriations and Middle East Democracy”

April 19th, 2010 by Josh

The Project on Middle East Democracy and the Heinrich Böll Foundation co-hosted an event on Capitol Hill to mark the release of a new publication, The Federal Budget and Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2011: Democracy, Governance, and Human Rights in the Middle East. What are the most significant changes in these portions of the budget request, as compared with the appropriations made in previous years? How does the budget impact U.S. efforts to support democracy in the Middle East and North Africa? To answer these questions, Michele Dunne, Senior Associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, moderated a discussion among three panelists: Stephen McInerney, POMED’s Director of Advocacy and author of the just-released report; Geneive Abdo, fellow and Iran analyst at The Century Foundation; and Scott Carpenter, Keston Family Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Click here for POMED’s notes in PDF, or continue reading below the fold.

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Posted in DC Event Notes, Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Egypt, Elections, Foreign Aid, Freedom, Human Rights, Iran, Iraq, Military, NGOs, Palestine, Political Parties, Publications, Reform, Reports, Technology, US foreign policy | 2 Comments »

Arab Reform Bulletin: Shifts in U.S. Assistance to Egypt Alarm Democracy Advocates

April 9th, 2010 by Chanan

Stephen McInerney, POMED’s Director of Advocacy, published an essay in the Arab Reform Bulletin about budding concerns among democracy activists for the Obama administration’s approach to political reform and human rights in the Middle East, and specifically, in Egypt. Using Obama’s budget request for fiscal year 2011 as an indicator, McInerney notes that bilateral funding for democracy and governance programming has dropped significantly from the previous year. The one noticeable area for increased funding - for programs linked to the historically obstructionist Egyptian government - will not produce any substantive changes. In fact, the opposite is true: ”the less the Egyptian government is involved with democracy and governance programming, the greater the opportunity for such programming to succeed.” He thus concludes: “the signals the Obama administration is sending will continue to alarm supporters of Egyptian democracy who are hoping for U.S. support.”


Posted in Articles, Democracy Promotion, Egypt, US foreign policy | 1 Comment »

POMED Notes: “Iraq’s Elections–and Iraq’s Future”

February 18th, 2010 by Maria

The United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Iraq Ad Melkert gave a lecture at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace today assessing the conditions in Iraq ahead of its March elections, and what that can mean for its future.

Melkert, who was very optimistic for a successful Iraqi election, said that it is important that development in Iraq is known and to understand what the role of international community should be. He outlined three major points for his lecture: first, that it is necessary to acknowledge the need for ongoing engagement in Iraq; second, that this engagement should be respectful and with Iraqis “in the lead;” and third, that it is time to draw a line and understand the divisions that have marked so much of the debate on Iraq.

Click here for POMED’s notes in PDF. Otherwise, continue below the fold.

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Posted in Elections, Event Notes, Freedom, Iraq | Comment »

POMED Report: “Strategies for Engaging Political Islam”

January 29th, 2010 by Josh

Political Islam is the single most active political force in the Middle East today. To offer insights into this critical issue, the Project on Middle East Democracy partnered with the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung to bring together scholars and experts from the Middle East, the United States, and Europe. Moderated by Nathan Brown, Director of George Washington University’s Institute for Middle East Studies, guests discussed the topic “Strategies for Engaging Political Islam: A Middle East, U.S. and EU ‘Trialogue.’” Panelists included Ruheil Gharaibeh, Deputy Secretary-General of Jordan’s IAF; Mona Yacoubian, Special Adviser to the Muslim World Initiative at the United States Institute of Peace; Zoé Nautré, Visiting Fellow at the German Council on Foreign Relations; and Shadi Hamid, former research director and current vice-chair of POMED’s Board of Directors, and also currently the Deputy Director of the Brookings Doha Center.

To read the full report, which draws upon the participants’ observations and recommendations, click here. Otherwise, continue reading below the fold.

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Posted in Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Elections, Foreign Aid, Freedom, Islam and Democracy, Islamist movements, Multilateralism, Muslim Brotherhood, Political Islam, Reform, Reports, US foreign policy | Comment »

Egypt: Is Obama Prioritizing Democratic Reforms?

January 4th, 2010 by Josh

This morning, the Washington Post editorialized that President Obama and his foreign policy team lack a firm commitment toward democratic reforms in Egypt. The paper singled out comments by U.S. Ambassador to Egypt Margaret Scobey and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to argue that the Obama Administration, unlike its predecessor, “appears to have put democracy promotion in the region on a back burner.” The Post further laments the administration’s foreign aid budget priorities, noting that “funding for democracy programs in Egypt has been cut by 60 percent,” as detailed in POMED’s July report, The Federal Budget and Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2010.


Posted in Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Egypt, Foreign Aid, Human Rights, Reform, Reports, US foreign policy | Comment »

POMED: Follow us on Twitter

December 22nd, 2009 by Jason

POMED has launched our Twitter account, PomedWire. Follow us to keep up to date with the latest debates and developments concerning U.S. foreign policy and the prospects for democratic reform in the Middle East. We will also highlight POMED’s ongoing activities, events, and publications, as well as other relevant happenings in Washington.


Posted in Technology, Weekly Wire | Comment »

POMED Event: U.S. Military Assistance: Obstacle or Opportunity for Reform?

December 13th, 2009 by Zack

POMED and the Heinrich Boll Foundation hosted a panel discussion to discuss the role of U.S. military assistance in America’s attempt to maintain strategic interests without undermining democracy promotion and human rights. The event was the third in a series examining U.S. credibility on human rights and featured both Steven Cook, Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and an expert on Arab and Turkish politics as well as U.S.-Middle East policy, and Emile Hokayem, a non-resident Research Fellow with the Henry L. Stimson Center’s Southwest Asia/Gulf program and Politics Editor of the Abu Dhabi-based newspaper The National. The event was moderated by Sebastian Graefe, Program Director for Foreign and Security Policy and Transatlantic Issues at the Heinrich Boll Foundation. Grafe opened by clarifying the focus of the event by asking several pointed questions: does military assistance undermine U.S. credibility? Are existing mechanisms sufficient to monitor human rights abuses? Are the provisions that govern assistance in need of updating?

Follow the break to read POMED’s notes.

Or click here for a .pdf version

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Posted in Afghanistan, DC Event Notes, Democracy Promotion, Egypt, Event Notes, Events, Foreign Aid, Freedom, Iraq, Jordan, Legislation, Mideast Peace Plan, Military, Muslim Brotherhood, Pakistan, Reform, US foreign policy, US politics | Comment »

POMED Event: U.S. Military Assistance: Obstacle or Opportunity for Reform?

December 8th, 2009 by Jason

On Friday, POMED and the Heinrich Böll Foundation will host a luncheon discussion, entitled “U.S. Military Assistance: Obstacle or Opportunity for Reform?” Steven Cook of the Council on Foreign Relations and Emile Hokayem of the Stimson Center will discuss the role of U.S. military aid to non-democratic allies in the Arab world and how the U.S. can pursue strategic military cooperation without undermining principles of human rights and democratic reform. 

The luncheon will be held this Friday, December 11th, from 12:00-1:30 PM. For more information and to RSVP, please click here.


Posted in Democracy Promotion, Events, Foreign Aid, Human Rights, US foreign policy, US politics | Comment »

Democracy Promotion: A New Approach

November 25th, 2009 by Jason

Michael Allen at Democracy Digest cites Tara McKelvey, who argues the Obama administration is pursuing a more “culturally sensitive” method of democracy promotion, compared to the Bush administration’s “cowboy” style. Allen observes many democracy advocates are pleased with the new approach “given the apparent absence of likely candidates for democratization,” but he also warns that “a developmental approach should not become an excuse for political timidity or conflate incrementalism with the perpetual postponement of democratic reform.”

Meanwhile, the confirmation hearing for Rajiv Shah to be USAID Administrator has been scheduled for Tuesday, December 1st in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.


Posted in Articles, Democracy Promotion, Egypt, Foreign Aid, Freedom, Human Rights, Jordan, US foreign policy | Comment »

POMED Notes - “Wrong Way on Iran: Representative Mark Kirk”

November 5th, 2009 by Zack

The U.S. Institute of Peace hosted Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL) to offer his views on how the U.S. should approach Iran on the issues of human rights and democracy.  Kirk is a member of the House Appropriations Committee and serves on its Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, which is responsible for determining annual U.S. foreign assistance funding.  Serving his fifth term in the House of Representatives, Kirk is the co-chair of the bipartisan Iran Working Group, sponsor of bipartisan legislation condemning Iran’s human rights violations and chief architect of the plan to restrict gasoline to Iran in response to its violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions.  The meeting was opened with an introduction from Richard Solomon, President of USIP.

See POMED’s Notes below the fold.

Click here to view a pdf version of the notes.

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Posted in DC Event Notes, Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Elections, Event Notes, Events, Foreign Aid, Freedom, Human Rights, Iran, Reform, US foreign policy, sanctions | Comment »

POMED Notes - “Implications of the Promotion of Defamation of Religions”

October 29th, 2009 by Zack

The Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission held a meeting to discuss recent movements in the international community to create resolutions against the defamation of religion.  The event hosted Joseph Cassidy, Director of the Office of Multilateral and Global Affairs in the Bureau of Democracy; Leonard Leo, chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom; Angela Wu, international director of The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty; Tad Stahnke, director of Policy and Programs at Human Rights First; Zainab al-Suwaij, cofounder and president of the American Islamic Congress; and Felice Gaer, director of the Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights of the American Jewish Committee.  Panelists focused on the recent U.S.-Egyptian draft resolution protecting the freedom of speech as well as other anti-religious defamation efforts in the international community.

For POMED’s full notes of the event, please click here.


Posted in Congressional Hearing Notes (House), DC Event Notes, EU, Event Notes, Freedom, Pakistan, Reform, US foreign policy, United Nations | Comment »

POMED Notes - “A Regional Overview of the Middle East”

October 29th, 2009 by Zack

The House Foreign Affairs Committee received testimony from Ambassador Jeffrey D. Feltman, Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. The committee questioned Feltman about U.S. policy and diplomatic efforts regarding Iran, Israel and Palestine, Lebanese government develop, Syrian relations, and other issues confronting American interests in the Middle East.

For POMED’s full notes of the event, please click here.


Posted in Afghanistan, DC Event Notes, Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, EU, Egypt, Elections, Event Notes, Foreign Aid, Hamas, Hezbollah, Human Rights, Iran, Iraq, Islam and Democracy, Israel, Lebanon, Legislation, Mideast Peace Plan, Multilateralism, North Africa, Political Islam, Reform, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Terrorism, US foreign policy, United Nations, sanctions | Comment »

POMED Notes: “The Afghan Elections: What Really Happened?”

September 15th, 2009 by Zack

The United States Institute of Peace hosted a roundtable event examining the recent Afghan elections and their future implications. The expert panel included Noah Coburn, a traditional justice specialist for USIP and presidential fellow, who spent 18 months researching local political structures north of Kabul; John Dempsey is the former USAID advisor to the Afghanistan Ministry of Justice and is currently a USIP head of office in Afghanistan and a rule of law advisor that has contributed to the new Rule of Law Strategy in Afghanistan. Palwasha Hassan serves as the Country Director for the NGO Rights and Democracy in Afghanistan, she has worked for than fifteen years in women’s development in the country and is currently a Jennings Randolph Fellow at USIP. The event was moderated by J. Alexander Their, director for Afghanistan and Pakistan at USIP, he has served as a rule of law advisor, was a member of the Afghanistan Study Group and has co-authored the book The Future of Afghanistan (USIP, 2009).

Click here to read POMED’s notes


Posted in Afghanistan, DC Event Notes, Democracy Promotion, Elections, Event Notes, Freedom, Military, Political Islam, Political Parties | Comment »

Announcing POMED’s 2009 Emerging Leaders for Democracy Conferences

September 10th, 2009 by Zack

POMED is excited to announce that we are now accepting applications for our upcoming series of conferences in the Middle East.  These will bring together young American and European professionals with reformists working in the Middle East to examine political reform dynamics in Jordan, Lebanon, and Egypt and the role of U.S. foreign policy on the prospects for reform in those countries.  Ultimately, the conferences will produce recommendations for U.S. policymakers on how to improve the American impact in the region and how to more effectively and constructively support democracy.

Each conference will include panel discussions from Arab and American experts on U.S. foreign policy initiatives, assessments of the state of political reform in the region, and the role of the U.S. and Europe in assisting this reform.  Primary topics of discussion will include: Elections & Political Processes; Religious Freedom and Inclusion; Women’s Rights and Empowerment; and Human Security and Development.

The 2009 conference schedule is as follows:

Amman, Jordan: October 7 – 9, 2009
Beirut, Lebanon: October 26 - 28, 2009
Cairo, Egypt: November 4 -6, 2009

Americans living in the U.S. or in the region, Europeans, as well as local young professionals residing in those respective countries ages 23-35 are encouraged to apply.  Each conference will include 15 Middle Easterners and 15 Americans and Europeans.

Applications are currently being accepted for all events, but due dates are quickly approaching and early applications will be given priority.

To view the complete conference announcement and complete an application please visit the following links:

http://pomed.org/activities/conferences/ (English)

http://pomed.org/arabic-conference-info/  (Arabic version)


Posted in Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Egypt, Events, Events, Foreign Aid, Freedom, Human Rights, Islam and Democracy, Jordan, Lebanon, Legislation, Reform, Upcoming Events | Comment »